LexusLX4501997Overview/lexus/lx450/1997/base/

1997 Lexus LX450

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 LX450.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Lexus LX450 features a 4-speed automatic transmission and requires 7.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. This model is rated at 12/14/13 mpg by the EPA. While the vehicle has zero recalls, the 1997 model year recorded the highest number of owner complaints between 1996 and 2000 with seven reports, specifically regarding vehicle speed control.

Model year19971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity7.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy12/14/13 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 27F · 625 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD3. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 27F · 625 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP275-70HR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-, 6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD3
Engine air filter1780166030
Fuel filter2330069045
Spark plug9091901176
Front wiper blades8521216120 alt 8522260120
Serpentine belt993321091083 alt 909160235383
Thermostat9091603117 alt 1634666020

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.8 in
Overall width76 in
Overall height73.6 in
Wheelbase112.6 in
Curb weight4971 lb
Track (front / rear)64.2 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined12 / 14 / 13 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 7.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.6 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity7.5 qt
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity2.8 Pints

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs12 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts304 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts74 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs12MM Bolts: 14 ft-lbs, 14MM Bolts: 32 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-3-6-2-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.36-.55 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9000-15,400 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity3.63-3.85 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number27F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance625 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression128-171 PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-85 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle90 ft-lbs / 76 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.26 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.26 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.181 in / 0.63 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
135 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9035 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
154 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9054 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
At 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1997 Lexus LX450 represents the peak of reported issues for this generation, recording 7 complaints and 27 Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs). This is a slight increase over 1996, which had 6 complaints and 25 TSBs, but is significantly higher than 1998 and 2000, where complaints dropped to 3 and 1 respectively. For 1997, the most frequent complaint areas were Vehicle Speed Control (3) and Suspension (2), though the data does not specify the root causes. Notably, there were zero recalls and zero investigations across all recorded years from 1996 to 2000. Despite being the high point for complaints and TSBs in this arc, the absolute numbers remain very low. This is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
27
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Vehicle Speed Control3
Suspension2
Tires1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 27 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
Safety Recall 222022-04-13EquipmentLexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
Lexus PRO19-02 -2022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Lexus Safety Re2020-05-01EquipmentSafety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
L-SB-0179-17 Obs2020-04-06EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
L-SB-0008-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific LX450. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 LX450 take?

7.5 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 LX450 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LX450 get?

EPA figures are 12 city / 14 highway / 13 combined mpg.